Back in the good ole’ days of 2018, I worked diligently on GOTV for the Tom Malinowski campaign for Congress in the NJ7 race. Hundreds and hundreds of people came out from everywhere to canvass. Acting troupes from NYC. Couples on canvassing dates. Families would canvas, then go leaf peeping. It was amazing!

In the aftermath of the election of Trump I, the CD7 seat was flipped from a solid R for years to a reliable D with Tom Malinowski besting Leonard Lance, handing him his ever general election loss. Yay.

Tom was a good Congressman for the NJ7 district, with dependable and trustworthy representation. He brought back the bacon to the district and opposed Trump at every turn. But the really important aspect of that victory: a district was flipped. That win was a huge lake of water in a mighty blue wave. So it goes.

Look, I’m gonna weigh in on this NJ11 primary situation now that Congresswoman Sherrill is moving on up to Drumthwacket.

We’ve got some genuinely impressive, homegrown CD11 residents jumping into this race. People who know the district like they know which Jersey exit they are. People who’ve actually sat in traffic on Route 10 and have very strong opinions well-articulated about it.

And then we’ve got others. From outside the district. Which, hey, I get it—everyone’s got career ambitions and wants back in the House in DC. I’m not here to judge. And yes, I know the founding framers wrote the Constitution to not require residency in a Congressional district in order to run for office there. Personally, I don’t think those white guy in the white wigs who likely called Washington by his first name ever imagined that a local farmer or lawyer or cobbler or tea merchant from Bergen County would want to schlepp by horse and wagon to Cape May each week to find out what his constituents were thinkin’. So, here’s where we are.

But here’s the thing that’s driving me crazy, and I mean Lewis-Black-losing-his-mind crazy: If this is REALLY about flipping the House, if it’s REALLY about saving democracy from the Trump forces of darkness or whatever we’re calling it this week… then run where it matters!

CD7 is RIGHT THERE. You already represented it? Even better—go back! It’s like when you order a cheesesteak at your regular spot. They already know you! CD2? CD4? These are the flippable districts! These are the races that might actually bring Congress back to sanity!

But if you’re picking the safest blue seat you can find like you’re picking the shortest line at Wawa on a Sunday morning for coffee, then just be honest: You want to go back to Congress. Fine! That’s a thing humans want! But don’t wrap it in “defending democracy” rhetoric like it’s a Taylor ham, egg, and cheese.

It’s either about winning everywhere we possibly can and making Hakeem Jeffries the Speaker or it’s about you. Can’t be both.

I hold no official position of influence in the Democratic Party, and these days the word “former” is before my name a lot. SO, that’s my just two cents. Which, at New Jersey gas prices, is still worth approximately nothing.